


it's you, always and forever

by sapphire (lunariajen)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Convenience Store, Childhood Friends, Fluff, Growing Up Together, M/M, just a lil markno store au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:56:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21893266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunariajen/pseuds/sapphire
Summary: Their town is small, really. No wonder they always meet each other at the same store. But if it's been like that for years, why does Jeno's heart still speed up every time he sees Mark go through the entrance?
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Mark Lee, Na Jaemin/Zhong Chen Le
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47
Collections: DreamXmas 2019





	it's you, always and forever

**Author's Note:**

> for ashton

("Did you just buy all Pokemon-related stuff in this store? Even this weird snack or whatever? I'm not saying, but it smells like cat food."

"Yeah, and what about it? You're literally holding two Barbie magazines and a strawberry milkshake in your hands right now.") 

•

_"Nothing, just thought maybe you'd want to play Pokemon cards with Chenle, Jaemin and I."_

That's what Jeno wanted Mark to say those ten years ago. It never happened, though. The older boy just sent him a glare saying 'What do you have against strawberry milkshake?', shrugged and went over to the cashier.

Ever since then the two kept meeting in the convenience store in their neighborhood. They had seen each other in school, sure, but they never talked. It was just the one particular store (not like there were many to choose from) that brought them together. Later in life, Jeno liked to think it's destiny but his friends collectively agreed he watches too many romances movies with his sister.

("Jeno, right?"

The boy nodded when Mark asked the question and patted him on the shoulder. 

"Congratulations, you're the person with the most questionable taste in food I've ever met. Do you see these?" He held up a bag of chips. "This is real food.")

They weren't exactly _friends_. They were, how to say this… shopping buddies? Ones that would bicker over the smallest things yet never actually get mad at each other. Sometimes when they finished classes at the same time they'd go to the store together. But always in silence.

Well, maybe not _always_ , since from time to time their respective best friends would tag along.

("Look, Lele! Isn't it adorable? Just like you."

"Oh, you're right Nana."

Jeno sent Jaemin a long, unimpressed stare as he was swooning over the small Chinese boy.

"What? He's a cutie," Jaemin whispered, gaining an eye roll in response.)

Years later, in their last year of high school, when Lele became tall and handsome Chenle and Nana pretty much remained Nana but with a deep voice and abs, the two of them started dating.

Jeno was totally fine with it, despite being done with them being grossly cute. What actually made him feel uneasy was the fact that although their best friends were dating, Mark and he remained the same: not exactly friends.

And ever since he turned sixteen Jeno would secretly dream about Mark and he being even _more_ than friends.

Hence one summer break in college, when Jeno was sitting in the store as a cashier, his heart nearly stopped. The evening looked like any other, the sky slowly turning navy blue, the cold white light from lamps lighting up the emptying store. The difference was a particular customer, who was supposed to be in Canada, entering the alleys with snacks.

Jeno wiped his sweating palms against his jeans and fixed his emerald green t-shirt with the store's logo. His mind was racing with questions, possible dialogues and, _well,_ tons of nervousness.

When Mark reached the counter and looked up at the cashier, his eyes widened with a smile forming on his face.

"Hey."

"Hi, didn't expect to see you here."

"Yeah, you too. I guess I should have, though, don't we always meet in this store?"

Jeno returned the smile and nodded as he started scanning the products. He could feel Mark's stare on himself but tried to ignore it, they didn't see each other for nearly a year after all. There's nothing weird in staring at a friend you haven't seen for a long time, right? But the thing is, Mark and Jeno were never exactly friends, and Jeno's feelings never got weaker.

("I'm over Mark. I've moved on."

"You know," Jaemin mumbled while chewing on his food. "Repeating bullshit like a mantra is actually a technique of making the said bullshit come true. It doesn't work if you yourself don't believe in it though."

"Seriously, it's true! Maybe I should date one of the girls who like me?"

"To help yourself move on?" Jaemin looked up from his phone with one raised eyebrow. "Won't work. You literally told me you had cute dreams about him last month. You're hopeless, Jeno.")

Jaemin was right. Surprisingly, he's right very often, way too often for Jeno's liking. Once the boy scanned everything Mark had chosen, including strawberry milk, he looked up. The two remained quiet for the next few seconds, awkwardly staring everywhere but at each other.

"So… Do you work here like, all the time? Like, I mean, during the summer?" Mark cleared his throat once he packed everything into his reusable bag. No plastic allowed here.

"Yeah. During the school year, I work on the weekends but at a gas station in my college city. I came back here to get some sense of relax? Rest from all the loud city noises and pollution? I don't know but… yeah." Jeno internally cringed at himself. Now that's oversharing of information Mark doesn't care about.

Mark, however, chuckled and nodded his head. "You know what, Jeno? Actually, same. Canada is awesome, I'm having the time of my life but geez, the amount of work and people around me can get tiring at times."

Jeno assumed the boy was popular in his college. He always knew how to make his way into people's hearts.

After a few minutes of small talk, Mark made his way to the door. His white graphic hoodie, his smooth brown hair, Jeno couldn't get his eyes off him. He looked so casual, yet so distant. Or, to be specific, too out of Jeno's league.

("It was your fault!"

"My fault? We both did this!"

"But it was your idea!"

Mark grinned in response, his eyes shining with mischief. There they were, two teenage boys, wet from head to toe, smiling like crazy while trying to catch a breath.

"You had fun, didn't you?"

*We got kicked out of the store, Mark."

Jeno stood up from the ground near the building, just where the cameras couldn't catch them.

"Listen, it was hot, I opened the garden hose near the entrance and boom, it's bearable, you should be glad. Plus, it's the middle of the summer, the cashier's going to be all dry in no time."

"We're never doing this again. And we should stay away from this place for a while."

"You know that'll mean staying away from each other for us too.")

It was dark outside, like completely dark, since some of the street lamps have been broken for ages. And Jeno swore he was never afraid of darkness, but that night he found himself talking on the phone with Jaemin for the entire walk home once his shift ended.

"So… Mark Lee as usual? If he's running on your mind all the time, why don't you just ask him out? It's not like you're complete strangers."

"You don't understand, Jaemin," Jeno whined, massaging his temple.

"Yeah, sure, because I'm stupid."

"For real, even if Mark said yes… What would we do later? He's going back to Canada soon."

"Chenle and I live in a distance relationship too and we're doing perfectly fine."

"You have a distance of a half an hour drive, not an ocean, Jaemin. Plus he's moving to our apartment once he gets accepted into our college."

"I know right, it's going to be lovely!"

"It's going to make Donghyuck and I puke whenever you'll get all grossly cute with each other."

Jeno's got a point. He's also got a weak heart. And two days later he got the debatable pleasure of having a graveyard shift.

It was dawning already, the sky turning into soft pink and blues. Jeno was just sitting there, half asleep, with his head rested on his hands. Until he saw a familiar figure enter the store. 

"Hey, Jeno! Do you want me to bring you anything?" Mark casually called out as he made his way through the snack alleys.

"Yeah, you know which one."

"Oh my- Oh my gosh, are you still eating the cat food?

"As an owner of three cats, I can clearly tell it's _not_ cat food."

"Smell like it though." Mark chuckled, walking up to the counter. "I see you don't have many customers here now…"

"It's not even 5 a.m. yet, you're the only one who manages to get out of bed at such an ungodly hour." Jeno scanned the products. Jellies, cookies, two energy drinks, and strawberry milk, plus the supposed cat food snack. Is this how Mark lives?

"Can I stay here then?"

The two locked eyes, Mark's held hesitation and unexpected shyness. Jeno was a bit surprised indeed but tried his best not to show it. You don't get to see a shy Mark Lee every day, do you?

"Oh, of course, you can. You can, uh, you can sit down here." Jeno pointed to the empty chair behind the counter. 

Mark nodded and walked over to the boy. He stared at him for a few seconds, only to lean towards him on the chair. Jeno held his breath, trying to ignore his speeding heart. Mark smiled at him, actually just tried to cover up his giggle when he saw the younger boy's expression and fixed his name tag.

"It wasn't straight. Like, terribly."

(“It was falling off, really.” High school freshman Mark tried to find an excuse for fixing Jeno’s hat. “Same goes for the scarf. Can’t you dress properly?”

Jeno just watched as the older boy wraps the scarf around his neck with gentle moves and focused gaze. The snow was falling, so visible on the dark sky, covering everything including both of them with a thin white layer. The entrance of the store was lit up with chains of lights, similar to the ones on the small Christmas tree standing behind the big window. 

“Sorry,” Jeno mumbled, unable to get his eyes off the boy in front of him. 

“Kids these days.” Mark shook his head with a small smile. “Let’s get inside, I’ll be a good hyung and buy you some sweets as a Christmas gift.”)

The two continued sitting in the empty, silent store for a long time. Jeno couldn’t tell how long exactly, though. He was too caught up in lovingly staring at the boy leaning his on the counter, chuckling or giggling whenever he found Jeno’s stories to be funny. There was something about Mark. You could say, duh, of course, Jeno’s had an undying crush on him for years. But to understand, you’d have to be in Jeno’s place. Watch elementary school Mark run through the halls with his friends, then change, be in the high school student council, then turn into a young adult, party every weekend through the whole summer, and lastly, leave for college. And throughout the entire time, be not exactly friends with him.

(“Hey, we’ve heard you’re leaving to Canada.” Jaemin hit Mark’s arm one night at a party. It would be a lie to say the night was young, and it would be just as much of a lie to say the boys were sober. 

“Oh, well, yeah. ‘cause like, I have some family there and like, I guess it makes sense for me to study there ‘cause there are many good colleges. And like, yeah… I guess?” Mark giggled, leaning his cheek on his palm. Jaemin and he started talking, joking around a lot. Jeno was there too but didn’t engage in the conversation to the point he thought his friends forgot about him. It felt odd, and it felt even weirder when at some point Mark subconsciously put his arm around him and didn’t seem to realize. Or maybe he just didn’t mind.)

Jeno never thought he’d spend his early morning hours up sitting close to the boy in an empty store, so close he could see the sparkles of happiness in Mark’s eyes. And smell his perfume, and touch the soft fabric of his hoodie. 

“It’s lovely how you’re so dedicated to helping others. Like, even cats, man. When do you find time to volunteer if you’re a working top student?” Mark chuckled, now leaning back in the chair.

“Do you really want to know the secret?”

“Of course, spill it.”

“Alright. The thing is, I don’t sleep.”

Mark widened his eyes, Jeno could see a playful glint in them. 

“Relatable. But I don’t have two jobs and extraordinary grades.”

“You have a social life, Mark, that’s the difference.” 

“If you tutored me… Perhaps I’d take you to a bunch of places. You’d meet people.” 

The first rays of the sun stroked Mark’s hair and skin, making him shine like a star.

“You study on another continent.” 

“We have the whole summer.”

Jeno chuckled, dropping his gaze at his shoes. He cracked his knuckles and looked up, to meet Mark’s eyes, already fixed on his figure. Jeno knew he liked Mark. It’s hard not to like him. But he was a bit too focused on his own feelings, his little tragedy of not being liked back, that he didn’t notice one important thing. 

While he was whining to Jaemin, Mark would clutch on Chenle’s sleeve and ask for love advice. While he was sure Mark’s mocking him, Mark was trying his best to… What exactly? Jeno didn’t know. But now that Mark was sitting next to him, the store was drowned in warm colors, and his eyes were just as full of warmth, he realized. As unbelievable as it sounds, Jaemin was right again. So Jeno chuckled and grabbed Mark’s hand, and they stayed like that up until the first customer came.

**Author's Note:**

> [masteryeeter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/masteryeeter/profile) i'm so glad i got u dear, your jaemle fics are awesome !! have a happy christmas time <3


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